Diaphragm.



J. R. TANNER.

DIAPHRAGM. APPLIOATION FILED 1.6.13.3, 1910.

Patented July 30, 1912.

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JULIUS B1; TANNER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,

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Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented July 30, 1912.

Application filed. March 3, 1910. Serial No. 547,018.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS R. TANNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements in Diaphragms, of which the following is a specification.

. terial, as thin copper, rubber, and the like, is

My invention relates to diaphragms. such as may be used for pressure regulators but it is not confined to such use.

The object of my invention is to protect the diaphragm by providing a yielding support therefor without appreciably affecting its sensitiveness or efliciency of operation.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of an embodiment of my invention, parts being shown in elevation; Fig. 2, a section on the line IIII Fig. 1, but showing concentric rings instead of a coil spring; Fig. 3, a plan of the central portion, or spider; Fig. 4, a side elevatidn' of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a side and an end elevation of one of the radial supportmg beams; Fig. 6, a perspective of one of the rings in Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 a section on the line VIL-VII, Fig. 1.

I have not illustrated the common wellknown valves or other devices which my diaphragm may control, as the application of .myinvention thereto will be-readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it relates. i

I provide a casing composed of the sec tions 1 and 2, the section 1 having the cylindrical externally-threaded wall 3, provided. with the depressed, or concave end or bottom 4 having the internal annular seat .or

shoulder 5 near the wall.3 and at a right angle thereto. The circular diaphragm 6, composed of a sheetof suitable yielding maplaced on the shoulder 5, leaving the pressure,'.chamber 7 between the end 4 and the said'diaphragm. The clamping ring 8 has one edge placed on the diaphragm 6 oppo the beams 12, whereby '20 which bear against the inner The outer end oithe hub 5 '16 is provided with a seat to receive the 111g 21- on the support 22, onthe spring 23 or its e clamping ring 8 withbne end resting on the diaphragm 6, theother end of the spring being supported by the-plane faces 11 of'the' radially arranged beams 12, which have their outer ends engaging the inner face ofthe inturned flange ring 8. i

The screw 14 extends through the center of the diaphragm 6 the small support or disk 15 hearing against that sideof the diaphragm which is toward the chamber 7 The hub, or center 16 receivesthe screw 14 and is seated in the of the spring 10 and upon central opening the central portion of the diaphragm 6 opposite the support 15. The outer end of the hub or center 16 is provided with the flange 17 having the outer portion thereof: provided with the radial convex or centrally-widened portions 19 of the latter are kept in position and without their proper radial turning over laterally.

any danger of their The inner en'ds of the'beams extend beneath 3 the central or unslotted portion of the flflange'l'l'. The ends of the beams are pro-.

vided with the rocking lugs or knifeedges faces of the flanges 13 and 17.

iaphragm in the potends to maintain the sition shown. It is clearv that other yielding, .means, as weights, etc., may be used to return the diaphragm to its normal osition. the screw 14 and rigid there- Opposite to with is the screw 24 which is threaded in an opening 1n the rod 25, I'eciprocable throu h the center of the end 4. The rod 25 is t e rod which leads in theusua-l way to the valve or other device which regulates the flow of gas, steam, known way.

source of pressure which is to be regulated, this being well known.

The pressure to be regulated having ac the chamber 7 will, if the pressure be above a predetercess by way of the passage 26 to mined value, cause the diaphragm to be forced slightly out or made somewhat conical, the apex being toward the spring 23. The inward movement the-usual way to reduce the supply of fluid having accessto, the passage 26. The sprlng 13 on the clamping and has fixed thereon 65 slots 18 to receive the 75 whose outer face ivalentpressesand water, electricity, etc., in a well; i The passage 26 in the regula' "100 tor rod 25 connects the chamber 7 to the of the rod 25 acts in diaphragm, the hub 'themanner by which I support the diaphragm. It will be seen that, as the pressure in the chamber 7 lifts the center of the 16, rises carrying with it the inner ends of the beams 12, which rock with but little friction on the lugs 20;

and that the diaphragm is constantly supported all the way from the hub 16 to the ring 8 by the spring 10 which yields with practically no resistance and mainains the distance between the beams and the dia phragm substantially uniform, thereby preventing 'thelatter from being unduly stretched and possibly broken. As the spring 23 is arranged to resist the outward pressure of the rod 25, it is not essential that the diaphragm shall, of itself, have any elasticity for returning it to its normal position. It should act merely to form a yielding wall for the chamber 7 so as to confine the pressure therein. By the use of the supporting spring 10 and the beams 12, I can. make the diaphragms of much weaker material than that of which diaphragms have heretofore been made without any liability of the same being abnormallystretched or broken.

10' shown in Fig.

Modifications of my invention will readily occur as, for example, the concentric rings 2 may be substituted Diaphragm-supporting means are regarded as coming within the principle of my invention if they so support the same that, as the center reciprocates, the

for the spring 10.

radii are caused to move simultaneously in equal degrees, the radii being sup )osed to have their fulcra at the ring 8. ll parts of the diaphragm move parallel to each other and to the axis of the diaphragm prolonged. Other diaphragm supporting means, not concentric or spiral, may be devised without departing from the spirit of my invention as expressed in the appended claim.

-I claim A casing-section having an internal annular seat, a yieldable diaphragm on the seat, there being a pressure chamber between the diaphragm and the bottom of the section, and there being a passage to the chamber for connection to a source of fluid pressure, a clamping ring engaging the diaphragm opposite the seat, the ring having an inturned flange, a second casing-section having an inturned flange engaging the outer end of the ring and means for drawing the casingsections, one toward the other, in combination with a central stud carried by the diaphragm having an outwardly-extending flange on the same side of the diaphragm as the said ring, narrow radial beams having their ends supported on the said flanges, a telescopically flexible member having its ends supporting the diaphragm and resting on the beams, means tending to move the diaphragm toward the bottom of the first casing-section, and a rod reciprocable in the latter section and connected to the diaphragm.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa., this 28th day of February, A. D. 1910.

JULIUS R. TANNER.

Witnesses:

F. N. BARBER, ANNA R. BEATTY. 

